Cipher device



Feb.. 1954 C, A, HEPP 2,668,369

CIPHER DEVICE Filed March 15, 1951 FIGB F|G.5

INVENTOR BQ@ dos 4 @pp TTORNEY Patented Feb.. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GIPHER DEVGE'- ApplicationI March 13, 1951, Serial No. 215,297

(Cl.l 353') 2 Claims; 1

This invention relates to a. cipher` device.

An: object of this invention is to provide a cipher device which is compact in form, may be readily carried about ones person and is adapted to be manipulated with a minimum amount of effort to= cipher or decipher a code. message.

Another object of this inventionY is to provide a device of the character described in the form of an annular member which may be worn on the wrist in simulation of a bracelet or the like, such4 member carrying endless cipher bands and disposed in side by side relation onthe. outer surface thereof whereby selected indicia carried on the outer surface of thebands may be brought intolpredeterminedlrelation to each-other in order to cipher or decipher a code message, upon rotating the bands relative to the member.

A further object of this invention is to providel a-cipher device which includes anannular support in simulation` of a` bracelet, a pair of endless cipher bands rotatably mounted on the outer surfacel of the support in side by side relation, together with an endless cover band overlying the cipher bands. and formed with openings through which selected indicia appearing on the cipher bands are Visible, the cover band harmonizing in appearance with the support to give an overall ornamental appearance tothe device, yet beingv readily manipulated to allow code messages to be ciphered or deoiphered with a minimum amount' of'eiort.

Still another object of this invention is to pro-- Vide a cipher bracelet carrying endless cipher bands inv rotatable relation thereto, such bands being readily removed from the bracelet and replaced with other bands whereby to readily and quickly vary possible combinations of ciphers to be used in ciphering or deciphering a code rnessage.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious-and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the deviceembodying the invention; A

Fig. 2 is a sectionalv view taken on the line 2-2 of'Fig. 3;

Fig. 3' is' atop. plane4 view of a portion of the device;

Fig. 4 is a side view thereof showing a modication;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

The device embodying the invention comprises essentially an annular member formed of suitable exible or semi-flexible material and of such dimensions as to make the same suitable for usei as a bracelet which is to be Worn on the wrist or the like. Such member provides" a sup-A port for a pair of endless cipher bands disposed on the outer surface thereof' in side by side relation for relative rotation. Each of the cipher bands bears on the outer surface thereof circumferentially spaced indicia whereby upon rotation of the bands, selected combinations of in'- dicia may be brought in to registering relation in order to cipher or decipher a given codemessage;

Furthermore, in order to emphasize the bracelet effect of such device, an endless cover band'` is rotatably mounted over both cipher bands to' substantially conceal the same from view. The cover band is formed with openings disposed in a manner to render visible the selected indicia onthe cipher bands, upon suitable manipulation of the cipher and cover bands.

ReferringA in detail to the drawing, IU designates a cipher device embodying the invention. The same comprises an annular member II of such dimensions as to make the same suitable for wearing on the wrist or the like. The member II may be formed of plastic, paperboard or other suitable flexible or semi-exible material and is provided on the outer surface thereof with' a shallow groove I2 extending circumferentially thereof. The groove I2 is located intermediate the lateral edges of member Il, thus leaving laterally spaced, circumferentially extending shoulders I3.

Rotatably mounted on member I I and disposedi within groove I 2l thereof, are a pair of endless cipher bands I4, I5 in side by side relation. The cipher bands may be formed of a flexible material such as plastic or the like; which is somewhat extensible whereby the same may be stretched, passed over the shoulders |3 on member II and properly located in groove l2 in their normal, retracted condition. Each of the bands is imprinted or otherwise provided on the outer surface thereof with circumferenti'ally spaced indicia such as letters, numbers, symbols or combinations thereof.

In1 order to allow each of" the cipher bands I4",

I5' to be readily rotated in respect to memberl II, the'bands are provided with lips It, IT; re'- spectively. The lips project upwardly'and slightly.` above'theouter surface of shoulders It* of mem'- ber II, extending from the outer edges'of the respective cipher bands. It is apparent that the bands I4, I5 may be readily rotated relative to each other to bring into registry any desired combination of indicia on the respective bands, merely by moving lips I6, I1.

There is further provided an endless cover band I8 which is also adapted to be rotatably mounted on member I I, being disposed in groove I2 and overlying the cipher bands I4, I5 to substantially conceal the same from View. The band I8 is of a transverse dimension substantially equal to the Width of groove I2 less the thickness of lips I6, I1. The thickness of band I8 is such that combined with the thickness of the cipher bands, its outer surface is substantially ush with the shoulders I3 on member Il. The cover band I8 is also formed of a somewhat elastic, plastic material or the like, and may be colored, ornamented or otherwise treated on its outer surface to harmonize and complement colors or designs which may be applied to the outer surfaces of shoulders I3.

The cover band i8 is formed with a pair of inconspicuous openings i9, 2B- which may be in side by side relation and adapted to expose to view registering indicia appearing on the cipher bands I4, I5, respectively. When wearing the device ID on the wrist, the member II may be turned so that the openings i9, 2G are on the underside of the wrist and more or less concealed from view, the lips i6, Il also being turned to a similar position, thereby allowing the device to simulate an ornamental bracelet or the like. `When the device is to be used for cipher purposes, thev same may be manipulated either on or off the wrist of the wearer. In either case, a

predetermined code combination of indicia appearing on the cipher bands ifi, i5, is agreed upon. Thus, assuming that the indicia is in the form of letters of the alphabet, as indicated in Fig. 3, and further that the prearranged code is A-J, then the bands ld., i5 are turned by means of lips I6, Il until the desired combination of letters appear in the openings I9, 2E) of the cover band I8. Thereafter in order to encipher or decipher a message, it is only necessary to rotate the cover band I8 to bring into registry the desired combinations of indicia. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, wherever B appears in the cipher message, it actually stands for K, While Z stands for I; Y stands for H, etc.

It is understood that the exact sequence ci letters, numbers, symbols or the like, may be different on a number of auxiliary cipher bands which may be used to replace the cipher bands in use, thereby multiplying the possible combinations of codes. The bands are readily nterchanged by slipping the cover band from the member II and then removing the cipher bands I4, I5 and replacing the same with other cipher bands and finally replacing the cover band.

The circumferential dimensions of the cipher and cover bands may be readily determined to allow free rotation of the respective bands on member II.

To accentuate the ornamental effect of the device when the same is worn on the Wrist, the

It is also understood that indicia other than letters, such as numbers, symbols and combinations thereof, may be used in any desired arrangement on the cipher bands, whereby information may be suitably enciphered and deciphered in accordance with a prearranged code. Also, each cipher band may bear more than one rovv of circumferentially spaced indicia, the cover band being provided with the appropriate number of openings located in proper position. Furthermore, such openings may be displaced circumferentially of each other to provide other combinations of visible indicia.

There is thus provided a cipher device which may be used as a bracelet and in which the several objects of the invention are achieved.

As various possible embodiments might be made .of the above described invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompany-ing drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A cipher device comprising an annular, flexible supporting member formed on its outer surface with a shallow groove extending circumferentially thereof, a pair of cipher bands rotatably disposed within said groove in side by side relation and an endless cover band overlying said cipher bands and substantially concealing the saine from view, said cover band being formed with openings for rendering visible selected indicia appearing on the respective cipher bands.

2. An ornamental bracelet comprising an annular member formed with a circumferentially extending shallow groove .on the outer surface thereof and providing circumferentially extending marginal shoulders thereon, an endless cover band located within and substantially spanning the groove and harmonizing in appearance with the shoulders of said member, said cover band being formed with a plurality of openings, and a pair of endless cipher bands disposed between the bottom of said groove and` the inner surface of said cover band, said cipher bands being disposed in side by side relation and bearing indicia on the outer surfaces thereof visible through the openings in said cover band, and means on each of said cipher bands for manually rotating said band relative to said member and said cover band.

CARLOS A. HEPP.

' nera-emes cites in the fue of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTsv France Nov. 18, 1909 

